The Knight & His Goddess
by ScarletRedfox
Summary: When the war of the beasts brings about the world's end, the Goddess descends from the sky, wings of light and dark spread, guides us to bliss, her gift everlasting…",when the first female joins SOLDIER how will his views of his favorite poem and his own existence change? Could the Goddess he has searched for so long be her,the woman who guided him toward the path of light?
1. Genesis, the Hero

**A/N: Hello dear readers!** This is my first story about Genesis, so I hope he isn't too OOC, though a warning would be appropriate: I purposely made him a bit more...cultured/refined/polite in the beginning, since I have a feeling like he would behave like a gentleman around ladies. Anyway, any and all advice for improvement is well received and very appreciated! :)

 **Setting:** Not set, but sometime before the events of FF7, during Zack's early years as a soldier training under Angeal. Times where the Firsts were still good friends.

 **Rating: T (sometimes a bit of cussing, some violence but nothing major!)**

 **Pairing: Genesis & OC, Zack & Aerith, Cloud & Tifa**

 **Enjoy!**

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 _ **~ The Knight & His Goddess ~**_

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 **Chapter 1: Genesis, the Hero**

It had been a _very_ tiresome day for Genesis Rhapsodos, also known as the Red Commander among the SOLDIERs in Shinra. He strolled around in boredom, heavy boots clicking against the pavement walk as he regarded the simple people passing by him, some stopping to look at him in awe, others casting him a disdainful look for his association with Shinra.

Truth be told, sometimes he was disgusted as well. Doing petty jobs listening to old man Shinra instead of following his dreams and improving himself to eventually surpass even the super SOLDIER Sephiroth.

He snorted, shaking his head as he rounded a corner. He did share a certain rivalry with his old friend Sephiroth, if you could call it a real "rivalry". It was more one-sided, Genesis was often told, mostly by Angeal, that he was obsessed with beating Sephiroth.

Maybe that was the case, but he has set himself a goal, hasn't he? Angeal's dreams and honor were his own and Genesis simply set for himself his own dreams, that wasn't wrong now was it?

"When the war of the beasts brings about the world's end, the Goddess descends from the sky, wings of light and dark spread afar. She guides us to bliss, her gift everlasting…" he quoted the prologue from his favorite book with a nostalgic look about him, reveling in the silent atmosphere.

He stopped dead in his tracks as he heard an earsplitting scream cut through the normally silent, dark streets. Listening carefully, the screaming grew in volume and desperation, the sound high pitched and very alarmed and desperate.

Cries for help.

His coat fluttered in the wind as he walked briskly into the dark, narrow alley where the screams came from.

He stopped a few feet away from eight men, four of them were unconscious on the ground while the other four were restraining a young woman. She was kicking and trying to punch them with all her might, flailing wildly with her arms and kicking her legs high into the air to try and land a kick on her assailants.

Genesis' eyes narrowed, he recognized that uniform…

"Attention!" he hissed the word venomously, loud and clear. The stern command immediately issued the group of Seconds and Thirds to freeze rigidly, their faces turning almost robotically to the man who had issued a command.

It was him.

Genesis Rhapsodos. Fearsomely reputed as the "Red Commander" among the other two Firsts. Feared and respect, he was known for his expert use of materia as well as his expert swordsmanship skills.

Genesis placed one red gloved hand on the hilt of his rapier, he stepped forward into the dim light the lamp post provided, his frown dark, " What is going on here?" he eyed the woman being restrained by the two SOLDIERs.

She was bruised, her clothing was torn at several places. Genesis looked at the four men unconscious on the floor, sporting bruises and maybe even broke bones judging by the unnatural angle some of their limbs were bent.

His eyes returned to the group as he said," I will not repeat myself," As he took another step forward, one of the SOLDIERs, a Second judging by the color of his uniform, felt the need to finally speak, "C-commander Rhapsodos! I- w-we….we were about to take this young lady home! She seems to be intoxicated and required assistance!"

Disgust filled him as he saw that the woman was obviously not intoxicated. Her eyes widened in rage and she kicked the SOLDIER standing before her between his legs, prompting the two behind her to let her go. She fell to the ground harshly, knees sliding against the rough cobblestone as she cried out briefly in pain. The SOLDIER whom she kicked fell to his knees in agony, clutching himself in his hands desperately.

His expression was sinister, curves and the sharp features of his face highlighted by the play of darkness and light, making him appear all that more foreboding," So, that's what SOLDIERs working for Shinra do in their free time…taking advantage of a woman…" he drew his rapier with a sharp metallic sound as it left its sheath, closing in on the group of frightened SOLDIERs. His blade glowed red, fire suddenly encompassing it, the ancient runes glowing brightly on the hot blade as Genesis said four words that sent chills down the men's spines," Get out of here."

The frightened SOLDIERs heeded the warning and quickly rushed past him, Genesis wouldn't let them go unpunished, that was for sure, but at least they could save their asses now from the angry commander, so he could deal with the important things.

That woman was hurt.

The glow faded from the rapier, he sheathed his sword and looked down at the woman who tried standing up by supporting herself on the wall, only to slide back down with a grunt.

Genesis kneeled and said surprisingly softly," Easy there." When she lifted her head to look at him, he could see she had expressive brown eyes, filled with rage at the men who had assaulted her and a bit of trepidation.

Upon seeing him and finally focusing, he could see the wave of relief washing over her, her voice was raspy from screaming when she spoke, " Thank you…I thought I was doomed before you came along." She offered him a small smile, she winced when she tried to stand back up.

The red commander's eyes immediately zeroed in on her legs, particularly her ankle, it looked bruised quite badly. Her arms sported bruises, some were already a dark blue, one side of her face was red, most probably for being slapped for her resistance.

Rage filled him like poison, he was questioning himself why he hadn't used his rapier earlier on those SOLDIERs…he should have.

He concentrated on his magic as he cast a cure materia on her injuries. When his warm gloved hand touched her bruised cheek she winced at first but relaxed when the warm, soft green glow of the cure materia washed away her injuries.

She smiled, breathing a sigh of relief," Thank you so much. You really saved me back there. Um…I'm sorry I took out your SOLDIERs…" she looked sheepishly at the four unconscious men.

Genesis growled but his voice softened when he spoke to her, "No need. It is I who feels sorry for not arriving sooner and trying to prevent you from being assaulted by such barbarians." He helped her stand, steadying her with his larger hands on her shoulders and one on her elbow.

Once he made sure she could stand, he bowed deeply, not a sliver of doubt in his voice, "My apologies, milady. As a First Class SOLDIER of Shinra, I will make sure those men that had assaulted you will receive severe punishment, personally dealt by me." When he straightened there was a sinister glow in his eyes.

The woman offered a small smile, not too thrilled at the idea of punishment, but feeling thankful for receiving a bit of justice, " Thank you, but you don't have to do that. I…oh," she shyly covered her torso, just now noticing how torn her clothing was. Genesis politely averted his gaze and immediately took off his signature long, red coat. He draped it over her shoulders, buttoning it on the front so it concealed her modesty.

With a light pink hue dusting her cheeks she bowed slightly, her voice a bit stronger but flustered, "Thank you…"

Genesis regarded her curiously and nodded, "Again, I feel ashamed working for the same organization as them…" he grit his teeth and shook his head, muttering a silent curse under his breath.

The woman shook her head quickly, "Please, there is no need. I'm alright, thanks to you General."

Genesis offered her a small smile and asked as he looked at the men on the floor again, "Tell me milady, how have you managed to defeat them? Those three are Second Classes and the last one is a Third." He rose an eyebrow in curiosity. She couldn't be a normal human, no normal human could defeat four SOLDIERs, at least without any enhancements.

She met his gaze bravely, "I'm not too sure. I had never come into contact with mako before. I have been training with an old master of martial arts by the name of Zangan for years. Adding to the fact that some of them were slightly intoxicated…" she shrugged, letting her words hang in the air.

Genesis watched her, slightly intoxicated or not, he _was_ a little suspicious. He had heard of the old man, master Zangan, he was travelling the world teaching kids and adults alike how to defend themselves. But to train a woman for years?

He brushed it off for now, smile and tone polite, " Interesting…would you mind if I escorted you home? I may have made them run with their tail between their legs, but they could return once I vanish out of sight." He chanced a glance at the street behind him and the woman followed suit, seeing his point.

"If I'm not disturbing your busy schedule…" she smiled as she took the arm he offered her, he was a real gentleman, unlike rumors depicted him to be.

Ruthless, aggressive, cocky, boastful…even a bit rude at times. She watched the news and read the newspaper and even listened to her friends gossiping about all the handsome heartbreakers in SOLDIER, but she never really payed Genesis all that much attention before.

But she had heard of the three First Class SOLDIERs, who didn't, after all? Sephiroth, a prodigy, the one called a "super SOLDIER". Angeal Hewley, many people referred to him as the "heart" of SOLDIER. And finally, Genesis Rhapsodos, commonly known as the "Red Commander" due to his signature red clothing and intimidating presence.

Genesis offered a charming smile, "Not at all, milady."

Together they walked out of the alley and she told him where she lived. The walk was a bit of a stretch, but the silence between them was comfortable, only their shoes clicking on the pavement were the only sounds between them as they walked through the dimly lit streets.

"Infinite in mystery is the Gift of the Goddess we seek it thus, and take to the sky. Ripples form on the water's surface-"

"-the wandering soul knows no rest… That was from Act I, wasn't it? ' _The Wanderer_ '?" the young woman smiled at the familiar phrase. Genesis almost missed a step on the uneven cobblestone when she spoke, this woman…she _knew_ an epic poem such as LOVELESS?

"I…see you have read LOVELESS…" his own voice showed his surprise at the new but pleasant discovery. And there, he thought only him and a select few of elderly people knew of it, since the younger generations rarely expression much of interest in the tale.

The woman giggled in amusement, causing Genesis to smirk slightly, " Well, I like to be a cultured lady on top of being able to fight."

"Interesting. What are your thoughts on the Goddess' gift?" he had to ask, he wanted to see how well and what she knew of his favorite book.

"Since the last pages of LOVELESS were never found, the book is left to be open interpreted as the readers thinks it's supposed to end. I think the gift of the Goddess must be something simple, something attainable by the simple folk of humanity. If the Gift is out of reach of normal people, it would seem too cruel for those who may never reach for it and wouldn't be considered the Goddesses benevolent Gift anymore." She paused, obviously thinking of what to say next as Genesis patiently waited, "I think it's mankind itself. The Gift is oneself. Of course, the use of materia, swords or any other resources may be very useful, but it is still up to the caster, the wielder, the _person_ how well it can be used and to their advantage. People have gotten creative over the years, have become thirstier for knowledge, they used that thirst and knowledge to create and build homes, cities, markets… tools to use to make labor easier, to ease their burdens…" she smiled softly and Genesis wondered if she spoke from the heart like she sounded she did.

The soldier pondered on her words intently, intrigued by the new viewpoint he himself hadn't come to, despite replaying the verses and sentences for years in his head and writing down all new interpretations he could possibly think of. To think one such an interpretation would sound so…simple.

When she noted his quietness, she tried to fight her own nervousness, "What…do you think of it?" She was a curious creature, he concluded.

Though he couldn't deny, he himself was one too, "The Gift of the Goddess…like you said, the last pages of LOVELESS were forever lost, no hope of ever retrieving them. The Gift of the Goddess…would be my SOLDIER honor…" she smiled at his explanation and the twinkle he got in his eyes.

She looked forward at the path ahead, " Well, here we are," She disentangled herself from him and he felt the absence of the warmth she had provided. She stepped in front of the door of a medium sized house, slightly old fashioned with wooden planks all over it and a roof made of red bricks. It looked slightly old but familiar and welcoming.

Genesis found he liked her taste, at least concerning houses.

She scratched the back of her neck in embarrassment as she stood awkwardly in front of her house, keys clenched in her hand," Would you like to come in? I could make you some tea, I know it really is meek compared to what you truly deserve after saving me, but-"

In the next heartbeat, he cut her off rather gently, a tone he didn't use often, "Thank you, but I wouldn't want to intrude. After today's ordeal, you must be very tired,"

Genesis bowed again, a smirk curling his lips," I bid you a restful good night, milady."

With that he took her hand into his larger one and kissed her knuckles, it was soft and brief, but it sent a warm feeling through the young woman and a tingling sensation on her skin even after he let go of her hand and straightened his posture to look at her flushed self.

As Genesis offered her another smirk, he left and disappeared into the night. The young woman smiled timidly, despite herself, keys jiggling as she unlocked the door, "Thank you Genesis…" as if expecting for him to hear her, even if he had already left.

Just then as she opened and locked her door again, she made a move to remove what she thought was her jacket, except as far as she could recall she didn't own anything made from leather.

The red coat covering her form seemed like it was glaring at her and nervousness and panic gripped her at the thought of forgetting to return his coat to him, _"And this is how I thank him for saving me? What do I do? I don't even know where he lives!"_ such information was of course classified, so not even if she asked would she get an answer.

She sighed slipping the coat off and noting the impeccable condition it was in, despite it having gone through so many battles with its owner, as far as she heard anyway. She caressed its smooth, leathery surface, smiling. He must care for it very much if he took such good care of it. The material didn't look all that cheap either, she bet those soldiers working for Shinra had a high wage.

Feeling a bit self-conscious, she brought the coat closer to her face before taking a tentative whiff, inhaling his scent which lingered powerfully in the clothing. Contrary to what she believed, that it may smell slightly due to him wearing it always, it smelled neutral, of leather and a faint scent of wood.

"The Gift of the Goddess huh…" she smiled.

 **Phew…sooo…how was it? I know, I haven't given the OC a name yet, though I would very much appreciate names dear readers! Thank you! I hope you enjoyed reading it so far, please review and tell me what you think!** **J**


	2. Red, Black and Silver

**_ANSWER TO REVIEWS_ : Thanks Kender20 and NachoNachoMan1992 for the encouraging reviews so far! I really appreciate them! I hope everyone likes this chapter too! :3**

 ** _Disclaimer: Square Enix owns Final Fantasy and all its characters! I own my OC only!_**

 **Chapter 2: Red, Black and Silver**

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The next morning, Genesis had met up with Sephiroth and Angeal like they normally did to eat breakfast together.

Sephiroth's eyes almost shot to his hairline and Angeal's blue eyes widened slightly as they saw Genesis approaching them with his usual bravado, with a touch of too much…drama. Well, their friend tended to make his entrances grand and dramatic.

But with his coat. _Always_ with his coat!

Where was the coat?! Sephiroth cleared his throat and asked:" Genesis….where…where is your coat?" Angeal blinked several times, trying to get used to seeing Genesis only in a black muscle shirt with Shinra's logo on the leather guard around his abdomen… odd. Very odd.

The young man looked down at himself and his eyes widened for a split second before he lied:" Ah, I…must have forgotten it yesterday while I was taking a walk. I would have to notify Shinra of it so he can order me a new one…" he scratched his jaw thoughtfully.

Angeal shook his head and asked slowly:" …Did you get robbed?" this question ticked off his friend as he retorted sharply:" Robbed?! The Great Genesis doesn't get _robbed_! No, of course not!" Sephiroth snorted in amusement at the redhead's expense, Angeal just smirked.

Genesis looked around the unusually busy hallway and asked as the three made their way towards the cafeteria:" The building is livelier than usual. Any reason?" Angeal shook his head and said:" Typical of you Genesis, you know that next week we will need to see the new recruits."

Realization dawned on the redhead as he cleared his throat and said:" I knew that." Sephiroth smirked and replied:" No you didn't." Genesis playfully punched his arm and said:" Oh shush."

The three chuckled as they entered the cafeteria and saw the frightening, obese woman who was serving the food there. They all simultaneously shivered, if there was _one_ thing the three Generals of Shinra were afraid of it was that woman.

She was large, she looked like a monster. Hell, she would be able to swallow Genesis, Sephiroth and Angeal whole if she got angry enough. Angeal came first to be served, he smiled politely at her and said:" Good morning Helga, what do we have today on the menu?" the woman's usual extremely sour mood quickly changed upon seeing the handsome and caring First Class.

She had a soft spot for Angeal.

"Oh, Angeal my dear! An early riser like usually aren't you? Well, you see we have the usual today added with fruits!" she gave him a large, well stocked sandwich and a few extra fruits. With a smile and wink she sent him off and he thanked her kindly.

Next came Genesis.

Oh holy hell. She _hated_ Genesis.

Her warm, admiring smile quickly turned into a deep frown upon seeing the cocky male. She said impatiently:" What are ya waiting for pretty boy? Your food sure won't come running to your plate on its own." Genesis begrudgingly handed her his plate, he almost winced how she roughly set his sandwich, quite thin compared to Angeal's, on his plate, adding a single banana and nothing else. Genesis tried to be as polite as he could:" Excuse me, may I get one of the apples?" he gave her his most charming smile, it usually had a disarming effect on women.

Obviously not on _all_ women. Helga's glare only intensified and his smile quickly faltered as she said stonily:" No." and shooed him off. Genesis grit his teeth in annoyance as Angeal chuckled softly from his seat at one table, enjoying his full plate.

But there was nothing more that she hated than Sephiroth.

"I pray for you my friend…" Genesis quietly said as he sat himself beside Angeal, munching on his own sandwich while watching the exchange between the super SOLDIER and the terrifying cafeteria lady.

Both parties stared each-other down, Sephiroth crossed his arms and sent her a sharp, menacing glare. Helga did the same, her large arms were almost larger than Sephiroth's torso for Gaia's sake. Angeal and Genesis admired Sephiroth for not breaking a sweat beneath the women's terrifying glare, she looked almost…demonic…

They didn't notice the nervous tapping of fingers against his leather covered arm as Sephiroth continued to hold her gaze. While he may look calm he was…well… _unnerved_.

Helga grabbed his plate, slammed down the sandwich and two carrots and handed it back to him. Sephiroth took it roughly back and nodded quietly, he critically eyed the carrots on his plate.

Helga grinned slowly, sadistically almost, as she mocked:" Carrots are good for the eyes and I noticed yours seemed to look a little…green lately." Sephiroth's glare only hardened at her remark.

He bit back a rude retort and calmly sat himself on the chair, his back to Helga. It was complete silence for a moment, then Helga had to get something from the storage. As she left the vicinity, Angeal and Genesis burst out laughing.

A carrot was _stuck_ in the wall right beside the door where Helga had left, the tip of it embedded into the hard surface of the wall. Sephiroth's smirk was small, he had wished it were Helga's head instead of the wall.

Angeal shook his head and shared his generous food with his friends, no wonder poor Sephiroth looked like he was competing for "Midgar's Next Top model", his sandwich was barely filled with anything at all.

Genesis and Angeal were the only ones who knew how to cook, though Angeal definitely beat Genesis in that department. Angeal actually had cook books in his room, while Genesis knew how to cook the basics and some special dishes. Nothing fancy. Sephiroth…well…he wasn't too good in the kitchen.

As the trio finished their breakfast they left quickly, hearing the thunderous footsteps of Helga coming closer and closer. Sephiroth almost grinned sadistically as she gasped at the carrot that was sticking out of the wall right beside the door where she just came out from.

"Well, that went very well didn't it?" Genesis asked with a quirked eyebrow, his eyes lighting with mirth. Angeal chuckled as Sephiroth sighed heavily.

"Why she favors you is beyond me…" Sephiroth said to Angeal, the black haired man held his hands up as he replied:" She's not so bad once you are a little nicer to her. Correct me if I am wrong, but I don't think that icy glares and death threats with carrots work very well with the ladies…" Genesis could only nod in agreement, chuckling softly as he remembered the distressed look the usually stoic and serious super SOLDIER had.

Sephiroth huffed, walking toward Lazard's office to get their mission reports done. This was going to be another long day, Genesis was sure of it.

"Alright, let's get this over with. Where to now?" Genesis asked as Sephiroth returned, a single sheet in hand. Ah, their new mission for today.

Sephiroth frowned as he said:" A mako reactor at Bodenheim ( **AN: The village Bodenheim doesn't exist in the FF world, I made it up, it's also mentioned in my other story "A Hero's Second Chance"!)** has been reported to be unstable. The villagers had tried to inspect it but anyone who had tried to investigate inside died." Angeal frowned and took the mission sheet, scanning it.

"It says here that the number of casualties is increasing as strange noises come from inside the reactor….what do you think? A monster?" Angeal asked, Genesis crossed his arms and said:" We better found out, no?" all three nodded and left HQ, waiting on their helicopter to pick them up.

 _Time skip to Bodenheim_

The three men calmly assessed the situation, Genesis was increasingly growing impatient. The most respected man there, Genesis didn't bother to learn his name, let's just call him Mr. Chatterbox.

Mr. Chatterbox was very…talkative, the worst part was he mostly talked about completely trivial things instead of his villagers being killed and having problems with the mako reactor.

Angeal rubbed his forehead and asked:" Would you be so kind as to give us directions to the mako reactor so we can take care of the matter? If we wait any longer it could grow more unstable." Sephiroth was glaring at the man the whole time.

Mr. Chatterbox said flustered:" O-oh, yes, yes! Of course, the mako reactor how could I forget! I'm sorry, I was so caught up with the news that my daughter is actually having her child soon! Can you believe it? She and her husband have been trying so hard and it finally paid off, I'm so very proud of her! Ah, right, right, I will need to buy all sorts of things for the baby before its born-"

The man was cut off by a hand gripping his shirt collar and lifting him off the ground, Sephiroth's menacing face was close to the man as he said lowly:" Just tell us where the damn reactor is." The man's eyes widened in fear before he pointed behind him with a shaky finger.

And fainted.

Genesis smirked and teased:" Lately, a lot of men are fainting over your appearance dear Sephiroth." The silver haired sent his friend a half hearted glare, Angeal stepped between them and said:" Let's focus on the task at hand. He said it was this way." The three men followed the path up to a steep hill.

As the First Classes made their way up the steep hill, Angeal joked with a smirk:" Is it just me or are we getting old?" Sephiroth chuckled lightly and teased:" I thought country boys were used to this sort of terrain."

Angeal made a show of stretching his back as he joked back:" Well, country boys grow old too." Genesis quoted:" Even if the morrow is barren of promises, nothing shall forestall my return"

Sephiroth and Angeal almost simultaneously said:" "The Sacrifice" Act V." Genesis smirked and said:" I see LOVELESS has a positive impact on you."

Angeal said with a smirk:" It would be foolish not to memorize every verse from LOVELESS when your every second sentence is a line from the book." Genesis' smirk only widened, his stride cocky as they started coming closer to the mako reactor.

They stopped a few feet in front of it, it looked like a normal reactor from the outside, but the deep, resonating growl from the inside caught their attention.

Angeal stepped forward, his standard SOLDIER sword already in his hands as he said lowly:" Genesis, we have to get it out of the reactor. Think you are able to do that?" the redhead smiled and said:" I shall return in a minute."

Sephiroth and Angeal readied themselves as Genesis strode in almost casually. There was a thick silence that followed, before the doors of the reactor were forcefully flung open.

A black mass jumped out of it, a red spot of blur on top of it. Once the creature ceased its movement on the ground, the SOLDIERs recognized it to be a Shadow Creeper, a strong and fit one on top of that. Genesis was on top of its head, trying to burn its eyes with his fire materia. But the beast flung Genesis forcefully to the side, the male hitting the stairs to the doors hard.

Angeal shouted:" Genesis!" while Sephiroth distracted the beast from pouncing on his friends. It seemed he had underestimated the beast, it was far stronger than it looked, stronger than its race was supposed to be.

"Mako." Sephiroth realized why the beast was so powerful, it was the only logical explanation, given that the Shadow Creeper was inside the reactor. Angeal was immediately in front of Sephiroth's back as he said:" Watch out."

Another Shadow Creeper had tried ripping Sephiroth to shreds by attacking its blind spot, his back, but Angeal blocked its deadly claws with his sword. It howled in pain when a powerful fire spell burnt its back, the flesh searing and the bone on its hind leg visible.

Genesis was not happy. Being flung out of the fight like some doll, he cast another fire spell as a third Shadow Creeper emerged from the reactor.

Sephiroth, Angeal and Genesis all faced each-other with their backs, pressing themselves close together and observing their opponents. Angeal said while brandishing his sword:" They all have unknown dosages of mako in their system. This could provide us a problem."

"Problem? We are Firsts, this shouldn't be any problem at all." Genesis retorted, his sword already glowing with the familiar red runes and the fire surrounding it, eyes aglow in a dangerous blue. Sephiroth smiled and said:" As much as that should be correct, if their mako concentration is higher than ours then we need to go about carefully."

All three jumped high in the air just as the Shadow Creepers pounced on the spot where they previously stood, Sephiroth managed to stab one of them in rapid succession but the beast still continued to fight stubbornly. What the-?

"Sephiroth!" the silver haired man just blocked a blow from its deadly tail as he turned to Angeal, the black haired said:" Their mako…its making them-"

Genesis kept using his materia and rapier to parry the beast as he finished in realization:" –numb to pain…"

Sephiroth's Shadow Creeper was missing a limb, its eye was stabbed and numerous marks were littering its body, but it was still continuing to fight. The other two beasts looked equally worse for wear.

Angeal jumped next to Sephiroth and Genesis and told them:" Let's end their suffering." The friends nodded and performed the killing blow, they fell dead with a hole in their head.

Genesis frowned and inspected the corpses, noticing how even the inside of their bodies seemed to be glowing with faint traces of mako. "Mako poisoning."

Angeal retorted:"Usually you can't even move around with mako poisoning, you barely even think a coherent thought." Genesis shook his head and contemplated:" I fear that with monsters its different. We just experienced it first hand, monsters with mako addiction become immune to pain and they would even continue fighting with missing limbs."

Sephiroth's eyes narrowed in suspicion, he said:" Let's return to HQ. I think Lazard will find this interesting enough." Angeal's eyes widened.

"Wait!" Genesis and Sephiroth stopped, looking back at Angeal, he said:" How were they able to get into contact with mako? It's true that they were inside the reactor but there is a specially made door, it can only be opened with a special key that the scientists posses."

"Let's investigate." Genesis suggested and they made their way inside the mako reactor.

Cages.

Three to be exact. All destroyed.

"Cages? The Shadow Creepers were locked inside cages? Why? The villagers couldn't have done that since the beasts were free before they could reach the reactor." Genesis crossed his arms, his stomach churning in uneasiness.

"What is going on here?" Sephiroth questioned seemingly himself, not grasping the situation. Angeal's blue eyes narrowed as he said:" The only people being able to open the doors to the mako are scientists." Sephiroth, Angeal and Genesis shared a look with each-other.

"Hojo is insane but would he go that far?" Sephiroth shook his head and he said:" Hollander has always been envious of Hojo's work, perhaps he had a hand in this?"

Angeal stepped up and said:" Impossible. Only Hojo has access to this reactor, Hollander's control doesn't reach that far." The SOLDIERs were at a loss of what to think anymore.

"Maybe Hojo gave Hollander the key to the reactor?" Genesis contemplated thoughtfully, Sephiroth interjected:" For what purpose? They are rivals, they can barely stand each-other's presence in the same vicinity."

"Let's report this to Lazard, maybe he can enlighten us." Angeal said and went toward the door.

The uneasy feeling in their stomachs only grew and it didn't lessen up as they entered HQ and reported to Lazard.

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After explaining the whole situation and their uneasy discovery at Bodenheim, Lazard was very suspicious.

Especially of the science department. Which is why he ordered the SOLDIERs to rest for the day, saying he was too busy with research to assign them another proper mission.

That was fine by them, they had to pay Hojo and Hollander a visit anyway.

Genesis felt a shiver race up is spine, he noticed how Angeal and Sephiroth had stiffened too the closer they got to the labs.

None of them were particularly… _fond_ of Hojo or Hollander, but they had a feeling that they wouldn't like what the mad scientists had to say.

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 ** _READ:_ Thanks for reading everyone! Please leave a review and suggestions for the name of the OC are welcome! So far I have: Lydia, Selune and Illyra.**


	3. The Complex Mind of a Madman

**Hi everyone once again! Well I hope you're ready for the next chapter! ^_^ I want to thank all the readers who have so much patience with me! Hehe**

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 **WARNING SEXUAL CONTENT: hehehehehe kidding! If I would really put THAT in here then the story would be "M" rated people! Well, now that I got your attention….are any of my readers country fans? :3 I want to write a small one shot featuring country music and of course our favorite country boys (Zack & Cloud) ;) Suggestions help! If you want to hear some of the songs I thought to use then PM me!**

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 **Disclaimer: Square Enix owns FF and everything connected to it! I just own my lady OC and the plot!**

 **Chapter 3: The Complex Mind of a Madman**

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Genesis was the first to enter the lab, without listening to the shouts of protest from the employees. They must be new since they didn't recognize the trio.

Genesis turned around and said coldly:" Tell Hojo he is needed here. It's important." One of the employees said nervously:" E-excuse me but y-you're not a-allowed to-" Sephiroth stepped forth and said with a very menacing grin:" Hojo is a dear friend, perhaps you have heard of us? Sephiroth, Angeal and Genesis, the three First Classes of Shinra."

The two employees stood frozen with gaping mouths for a second before a deep yet somewhat elderly voice said:" Ah, my favorite test subjects! How can I provide assistance?" he waved his employees away hastily.

The three men felt uneasiness creeping up on them at the word "test subjects". Sephiroth's eyes narrowed and he cut to the case:" We encountered three Shadow Creepers on our mission to Bodenheim, all infused with high dosages of mako energy. You won't happen to know something about it, would you?"

Hojo suddenly grinned, maniacally, and laughed. Sephiroth's disgust for him grew further, Genesis rested a hand on the hilt of his rapier, maybe he could save this poor fool from his insanity- he lowered his hand when he noticed Angeal giving him a stern look.

"Ohhh Shadow Creepers you say? A fine specimen for experimentation, indeed. I must disappoint you, I have no knowledge of this…event." His grin didn't falter for a second, it only rose the First Classes suspicious even further.

" _A walking mass of complexes isn't he? Well, let's follow another tactic."_ Sephiroth thought as he stepped closer and said:" We know you have a hand in this Hojo, no other scientist but _you_ has access to the reactor in Bodenheim. That leaves the question open, what could you be using those Shadow Creepers for?"

Hojo's aura turned dark suddenly, a sudden chill filling the room. Angeal's eyes narrowed, all his instincts telling him to back away as he watched Hojo. He may have reprimanded Genesis for resting a hand on his rapier, but he was tempted to unsheathe his sword as well.

"I am a very busy man, Sephiroth. I don't have time for puny experiments on simple Shadow Creepers." His eyes shot towards Genesis and Angeal and he smirked, his aura growing darker.

Genesis glared at him, hell he detested that man's entire existence. Gast had been one of the few scientists which actually experimented for the sake of _science_ and gaining knowledge, not _power_ and control like Hollander and Hojo.

Sephiroth, Angeal and Genesis had truly respected the man, one of few they openly showed their respect to, but unfortunately he had suffered a tragic fate. They all suspected Hojo and Hollander had a hand in it but they never voiced their thoughts.

"Is there anything else my subjects?" the three man frowned darkly at the "endearing name" before they briskly left, not sparing Hojo another glance.

Angeal stopped before the door and said:" Don't think this is over Hojo, we will keep an eye on you closely." He closed the door and Hojo was left alone standing inside his lab.

Or so he thought.

"You could have made it even more suspicious." A deep voice said sarcastically from the back from behind Hojo.

The scientist smirked and said:" Now what fun would that be old friend?" the man that had spoken earlier stepped into the light and frowned.

The scientist said:" The walls have ears. Unless we are outside this laboratory, we address each-other as rivals and filth. After all, you wouldn't want our project to shatter, would you?" Hollander frowned, his hands in his pockets. Hojo's smirk widened as he said:" Of course not. But I do wonder, what could you have possibly wanted with those Shadow Creepers?"

Hollander smirked, it turned exceptionally sinister as he said:" Oh, nothing at all. But it worked didn't it? It caught our test subjects' interest." Both men watched the young First Classes converse with each-other heatedly as they disappeared out of their sight.

Hojo chuckled and said with a evil look in his eye:" Indeed it did. I can't wait to start with our project and banish them to the pits of hell." The two scientists chuckled darkly.

* * *

"Hojo is definitely hiding something." Angeal said, his voice gruff as he couldn't shake the chill from his body.

Sephiroth and Genesis sighed, the redhead retorted:" He is, but we don't have any evidence to prove it. The Shadow Creepers are dead, Shinra may have disposed of them already. They are carefully covering their tracks it seems." Angeal nodded, his arms crossed.

Sephiroth rubbed his forehead in frustration, that damn Hojo. They _knew_ he was behind it but the question was _why_ and _what for_?

SOLDIERs were rarely informed of the scientific progress, they almost never set foot into the laboratories or even conversed with the scientists except if they needed their mako injections. However, Hojo and Hollander were entirely different stories.

It was like the two scientists were tracking them, keeping an eye on the strongest SOLDIERs Shinra had to offer. As if they were planning to betray Shinra any moment.

Sephiroth shook his head.

"Hollander and Hojo aside, we should focus on the recruits." Angeal said, Sephiroth briefly glanced at him and replied:" You're right, though we still have half of the week to prepare."

"Yo Angeal!" an all too familiar, energetic yet deep voice called from behind them. Angeal huffed as a heavy weight crashed into him from behind and briefly hugged him.

"Zack, what is it this time?" the First Class pried the younger man off, standing in front of him like a father scolding his son. Genesis and Sephiroth watched on in amusement.

Zack grinned sheepishly as he asked:" Sorry 'bout that. I just got back from a mission with Kunsel, wanna hang out?" Angeal smiled, he was always fond of Zack, though sometimes his sheer amount of energy and seemingly endless stamina had exhausted the older man more than he cared to count.

He sighed and said:" If you train the whole day today we can spend the day tomorrow, but we must train at least half of it. You need to work on your attention span and on patience." Zack's blue eyes widened in horror…oh oh.

"Aw, man Angeal! Don't tell me we will meditate again?" he whined like a little puppy, Angeal chuckled and shook his head, ruffling the messy dark hair of his student. He said:" You bet we will, now go along pup." Zack stuck his tongue out at him before he jogged away and saying goodbye to the other two First Classes.

Angeal turned around and snapped:" What?" when he noticed his two friends were giving him wide smirks.

Genesis teased with a grin:" Well, the "pup" seems to be very fond of you. And you seem to return those feelings." Sephiroth shook his head in amusement and said:" You remind me of a father praising his son. You should give Zack more credit, I see him out late at night doings squats or sword practicing."

Angeal smiled and said:" Don't worry, I praise him often enough, but he's the type to get even more riled up when I provide him a difficult challenge." He had faith in Zack, truly he did. He had the potential to become a First Class and rival their power with enough practice.

Genesis grew quiet as his thoughts suddenly brought him back to that encounter he had with the woman, whom he still didn't know the name of. Which reminded him…

"Excuse me for a moment, I need to take care of some official business." Sephiroth and Angeal grew suspicious and slightly unnerved upon seeing the almost evil smirk Genesis was wearing as he headed to the Second and Third Class barracks.

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"Are those the SOLDIERs you requested to see sir?" Kunsel asked, looking confused at the eight SOLDIERs, some Third and others Second Class. They all looked quite badly beaten up, still healing from their questionable wounds a while back.

Genesis smirked and said:" Yes, thank you SOLDIER. Dismissed." Kunsel saluted and left quickly, he wasn't a fool he recognized the bloodthirsty look in Genesis' eye and he sure as hell didn't want to be long enough around to see what the outcome would be.

He cringed when he heard screams of pain from behind him.

"W-we are sorry! P-p-please d-don't s-sir! W-we-" Genesis' rapier, glowing red with magic, was poised close to the throat of one very talkative Second, mere inches away from the tender skin.

Genesis said with a dark, serious look:" If I ever see you molesting a woman again," his rapier was dangerously lowering, pointing at the young Second's pants as Genesis grinned and continued:" you soon won't even have an ounce of pride left to even _think_ of laying a hand without permission there where it doesn't belong. Understand?" he looked at the others, all scared shitless of this dark and sadistic side of their General they never saw before.

They all mutely nodded, Genesis nodded in turn, roughly letting go of the Second's hair to let him fall to the ground, frantically crawling away from Genesis. The redhead sheathed his rapier and said:" Well then, I do hope you have a enjoyable day, SOLDIERs." He spat the word "SOLDIERs" at them, as if the word was venom itself. Not suited to fit a pile of filthy men such as them.

Genesis left dramatically with a wave of his hand, a turn of his head and a flutter of his new, red coat.

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 **(bows) I'm sorry guys, this is really short! Don't worry I will maybe edit it later when I have more time on my hands! For now this is all! Please leave reviews! And thanks for the ones that already offered me some!**

 **BTW: READ WHAT I WROTE ABOVE THE DISCLAIMER! THANK YOU! :D**


	4. The Recruits & His Coat

**Hello everyone! Back again! Here is Chapter 4 making its appearance! I do hope you enjoy! :D**

 ** _Disclaimer: I DON'T own any parts of Final Fantasy or any of its characters, they all belong to Square Enix. I only own the plot and my OC!_**

 **Chapter 4: The Recruits & His Coat**

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Genesis sighed heavily, fingering the new leather material of his coat in dismay. He liked his old coat better…but he had left it with that woman he saved from those mongrels…

"Still mourning over your loss?" Angeal teased his childhood friend playfully, watching as Genesis kept frowning at his new, identical coat.

Genesis looked at him and huffed, brushing his bangs to the side as he said:" Mock me all you want. I do not regret my loss."

He thought about the woman he had rescued and how she handled those SOLDIERs on her own nonetheless.

Genesis asked suddenly:" Say, is it possible for normal humans to beat Third and Second Class SOLDIERs without any enhancements?"

Angeal rose an eyebrow at the odd questions his best friend asked before he answered slowly:" I highly doubt it. Those SOLDIERs either must have been subdued or drugged for that to happen, I mean _really_ drugged."

Genesis frowned in thought. Most of them were drunk, he could tell, but a SOLDIER's metabolism was far faster than a normal humans so the alcohol should have long burned in their system and sobered them up. It was a mystery how the women had managed to knock _four_ of them unconscious, where at the beginning she was surrounded by _all eight_ of them.

Genesis crossed his arms, deep in thought. In fact, the woman herself seemed to be shrouded in mystery. He couldn't explain to himself how she was able to defeat those SOLDIERs…

"Genesis?" said man perked up at the sound of his name being called, Sephiroth was giving him a stern glare. Oh…the recruits were here…

A whole lot of them too…

"Guys! Woah, uh, sorry I'm late!" none other than Zack the puppy came running in, out of breath from his running. He grinned sheepishly and waved at the Generals and at the recruits.

Zack rested his elbow against Angeal's shoulder as he observed the lot, immediately whispers sounded throughout the room. Most probably were confused at how _comfortable_ Zack, a Second Class SOLDIER, seemed to be in close proximity with these… _monsters_. And how said monsters _allowed_ that.

Angeal sighed and scolded:" Zack, what have I said about punctuality?"

The raven haired man sighed and said:" Sorry Angeal, I had a run-in with Helga and she kept trying to shove carrots down my throat…" he visibly shivered.

Genesis smirked in amusement and said half-jokingly:" You have my sympathy friend…if its Helga, then it's a valid point why you're late." Angeal glared at his fellow First.

Genesis held his hands up and asked:" What? So what if the kid came _two minutes_ late. Not like anything of interest happened."

Angeal sighed and retorted quietly but strongly:" Genesis, I'm trying to drill manners and discipline into his thick skull, he will need that if he wants to become First. Your relaxed behavior isn't helping at all and you're trampling my authority in front of my student."

The redhead rolled his eyes and said dramatically:" Oh, _excuse me_ , oh mighty Angeal of all that's honorable. I failed to realize you possessed something called _authority_."

Before Angeal could retort with a jab, Sephiroth sharply glared at them from behind his bangs, a warning.

Angeal grew serious once more as did Zack, his posture straight and tense, his expression serious and guarded.

Sephiroth refocused his attention on the still whispering recruits, he cleared his throat loudly and said:" Greetings recruits. It is safe to assume you have passed the written exams in order to get this far and pass the physical training required of you in order to be accepted into the SOLDIER program. However, you're not automatically a member of SOLDIER. Yet."

A collective chorus of gasps could be heard, some whines were released, others just widened their eyes in horror.

Genesis sighed, that happened every time Sephiroth told them of the not yet being a SOLDIER part.

Angeal this time continued for Sephiroth:" Shinra is carefully choosing their SOLDIERs, we need to be sure you are not only physically but also emotionally stable to survive the SOLDIER program and pass all our tests. For that there will be a number of tests conducted, by our research lab, the process is long and painful. Some drop out by that alone, others aren't able to stand against the pain. The question is: are you willing to endure all that to become a honorable and faithful member of SOLDIER?"

The room fell silent, the four could see the group was already thinning out. Angeal shot a look at Genesis, willing him to contribute as well.

The redhead sighed and uncrossed his arms, he straightened his posture and stood tall and proud as he let his eyes wander, unimpressed, over the frail and scared looking recruits.

He snorted and said:" Well, since some of you already left because of the malicious exams you will have to endure, I can only say that many of you will fail." There was a tone of finality in his voice.

Angeal and Sephiroth looked at him crossly for speaking so directly, Zack's posture only tensed further. But he knew it was the truth.

Genesis put his hands behind his back and stood right in front of the group as he said with the power and authority of a man befitting his status:" SOLDIER is no laughing matter. The beginning is possibly the hardest hindrance you have yet to face, from that point on it will only get harder, challenging you to your limits and beyond.

The question whether or not you're willing to continue can be answered fairly easy, yes or no. The question if you are ready to pledge your life to Shinra and serve under the world's most powerful and influential company, is another thing entirely. So choose your answers wisely, young recruits."

Normally Genesis didn't particularly care for the recruits, only those who rose higher in rank caught his interests. It made his blood boil how so many men were cowering in fear with shaking knees once they heard that they would need to train day and night to survive the exams, let alone their whole time at SOLDIER.

His blue eyes caught movement at the back, they narrowed in suspicion and curiosity. The man pushed himself forward and once he was in view, Genesis froze.

The man was a _woman_. A woman he actually _knew_. Well, Genesis knew his fair share of women, from his dates that lasted a few hours and never repeated themselves but this one he hadn't expected to see so soon.

It was that woman from before. The woman he had saved in the alley and who managed to beat his SOLDIERs.

And she was wearing his _coat_!

The woman smiled at Genesis and the rest of the shell shocked Generals and Zack. Gasps and whispers immediately erupted from the back and grew to the front, who w _as_ this woman?!

She gently, tenderly, took off Genesis' coat and held it out for him as she said:" My apologies to intrude so boldly but I had to find you and bring you back your coat, I'm sure you have missed it." her tone was kind and light, almost teasing.

Genesis, robotically, took his old coat from her, staring at it blankly, then her. She had actually come all this way to bring him back his coat?

He heard Sephiroth clear his throat from behind him, obviously having recovered from his shock. He didn't hesitate to ask the unknown woman with a suspicious undertone:" Who are you and why are you here?"

The woman smiled bright and kind at Sephiroth, his aura and imposing figure not frightening her at all.

" Just a modest recruit, sir. Well, I'm for the same reason here as all of them are. I want to apply for SOLDIER." She said that so carefree and with a bright smile on top of that.

Zack and Angeal had quickly rushed to catch Genesis before he hit the ground, his eyes wide in shock as the words finally registered in his mind.

She was here…

To apply for SOLDIER.

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Zack was almost flung to the other side of the wall as Genesis blindly flailed his arm and hit him across the chest when Angeal had splashed ice cold water on him.

He had been out like a light.

Genesis gasped for breath and blinked several times, turning his steely glare at Angeal, who didn't look apologetic at all.

He groaned and rubbed his forehead, the redhead asked grumpily:" What happened?" Zack, having recovered from the First's brutal yet accidental attack, shared a look with his mentor.

"You fell unconscious Genesis." Angeal handed Zack the bucket and Zack dutifully left the men alone to store the bucket back in its place. And then it clicked.

The woman. That woman was here! And she had his coat!

Wait… _his coat_!

Genesis asked with a sense of urgency:" Where is my-" Angeal literally threw his coat right in Genesis' face, the redhead gingerly took it off his face and sent another murderous glare his friends way.

Angeal supplied helpfully:" She went with the other recruits, tomorrow they would be getting tested so you will see her again." His tone was smug and a grin took over his features.

"I wasn't asking that." Genesis said it curtly and simple, Angeal's grin only widened.

And then it was really starting to get fun.

"That woman was interesting indeed. She was completely fearless as she looked me in the eyes and said she was joining SOLDIER. In a way, I even believe her." Sephiroth had joined his friends, a small smirk playing on his lips.

"Not you too, horse shampoo." Sephiroth clicked his tongue at the nickname Genesis gave him.

Angeal chuckled and said with crossed arms:" Zack was quite surprised as well. He was apprehensive at first but we discovered she was quite easy to talk to and friendly."

Genesis shot to his feet and grabbed Angeal by his collar as he hollered:" You _talked_ to her?! While I was _unconscious?!_ "

Sephiroth added for good measure:" We invited her to eat with us in the cafeteria. She met Helga as well, I was surprised how quickly Helga warmed up to her. Perhaps it's something about people from the country Helga is fond of…"

Angeal smirked and reminded teasingly:" Or maybe Helga is just like any other woman and likes to be treated with respect and friendliness as opposed to threats and icy glares, Seph."

The silver haired General pointedly ignored the jab. He had endured his fair share of death threats and food poisoning attempts from Helga to know their relationship would _only_ be made of threats and icy glares. Oh and the infamous "carrots of death".

Sephiroth rubbed his forehead and suggested:" You up for a spar? The Seconds left long ago." Angeal was more than ready, eager to blow off some steam of today's frustrations.

Zack looked at them quizzically and asked:" Wait…you are using the training grounds after we leave? Seriously?!"

With a meaningful, deadly glare from the tall silver haired man Zack shut his mouth and quickly went to his barracks, throwing a quick goodbye to his mentor and superiors.

Angeal shook his head and playfully scolded his friend:" Don't scare the pup like that, he will come running to me again when he has nightmares." Sephiroth smirked and looked expectantly at Genesis.

The redhead frowned and stood up slowly, grabbing his old coat. He looked at the leather before he looked at his friends and replied in a uncharacteristically somber tone:" I'll pass training for today. We will see each-other tomorrow."

With that he was gone, his coat swishing gently from side to side with his large, graceful strides.

Sephiroth and Angeal looked at each-other in question.

"You think he will be alright?" Angeal asked as he frowned in worry.

"It's Genesis. What do you think?" as Sephiroth said this in a mildly dry tone, Angeal only sighed and followed him toward the training grounds.

 **The end for now! Thank you for all your previous reviews and your patience! :3**


	5. The Date

**Back again with a new chapter! Enjoy dear readers!**

 **This follows right after Genesis left Sephiroth and Angeal to train alone from the previous chapter!**

 **Chapter 5: The "Date"**

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 _Sephiroth rubbed his forehead and suggested:" You up for a spar? The Seconds left long ago." Angeal was more than ready, eager to blow off some steam of today's frustrations._

 _Zack looked at them quizzically and asked:" Wait…you are using the training grounds after we leave? Seriously?!"_

 _With a meaningful, deadly glare from the tall silver haired man Zack shut his mouth and quickly went to his barracks, throwing a quick goodbye to his mentor and superiors._

 _Angeal shook his head and playfully scolded his friend:" Don't scare the pup like that, he will come running to me again when he has nightmares." Sephiroth smirked and looked expectantly at Genesis._

 _The redhead frowned and stood up slowly, grabbing his old coat. He looked at the leather before he looked at his friends and replied in a uncharacteristically somber tone:" I'll pass training for today. We will see each-other tomorrow."_

 _With that he was gone, his coat swishing gently from side to side with his large, graceful strides._

 _Sephiroth and Angeal looked at each-other in question._

 _"_ _You think he will be alright?" Angeal asked as he frowned in worry._

 _"_ _It's Genesis. What do you think?" as Sephiroth said this in a mildly dry tone, Angeal only sighed and followed him toward the training grounds._

Genesis was deep in thought as he walked briefly to his room to leave his new coat there and don his old one, heading straight outside of HQ.

Where he bumped into someone.

"Oh, why hello there General." A soft yet deep feminine voice said to him.

The Goddess must hate him today.

It was her. The woman. _Her_!

"My apologies, milady if I startled you. It seems I was too lost in thought to pay attention to my surroundings." He bowed slightly offering her a small smirk.

"No need to apologize. If you're willing, would you take a walk with me? The night is still young and I know a good cure for wandering minds." She winked playfully.

"How could I deny a lady?" he smirked and walked alongside her, enjoying the pleasant breeze rushing by.

"You know, I still don't know the name of the mysterious lady I have saved the other day."

"Oh! My apologies, where are my manners! My name is Kylia Coriel." She smiled pleasantly and as they were passing under a street light, Genesis had a few seconds to fully take in her features.

Contrary to what he first believed, her hair wasn't brown, rather it was a deep brown-scarlet color going in small waves just past her shoulders. Her eyes were a deep brown, though in the light they seemed a very light brown, chestnut almost.

He quickly averted his gaze once he noticed he had been staring for too long. Though the minute he turned his head, Kylia had enough time to study his features.

She blushed slightly when the light outlines of muscle stretched across his leather coat when he moved his arms, his coat doing nothing to hide his broad shoulders with his chiseled jaw, beautiful, blue eyes, that wild brown hair and that charming smirk. She turned her head the other way in embarrassment.

Ogling a man, no, a _stranger_ , like that was beyond her. It didn't matter that he was one of the famous top Generals of SOLDIER, in fact it made it all worse. She didn't want to be viewed as a mere fan girl. She wanted to be respected and treated like all the other recruits.

She sighed and continued walking, looking at the city slowly coming to life at night. At day, the city was bustling with life as well, traffic jams, people rushing to go off to work, the shops and restaurants were usually packed at the time.

"What do you say we grab a bite to eat? My stomach seems to make those dying whale sounds again," Kylia laughed and Genesis found her laughter to be…cute.

The General shook his head, damn it. He was Genesis Rhapsodos, thought to be womanizer of Midgar, badass SOLDIER, the Red Commander, the closet pervert (courtesy of Sephiroth) and the walking cooking disaster (courtesy of Angeal).

"Why not? I haven't eaten anything since lunch and I hear you were in the cafeteria so you must know how awful it is to eat there. That can't even be considered food anymore, more like biochemical waste." Genesis grimaced at the memories of Helga's…"food".

"Oh really? I don't know, Angeal and I had a really good meal! Though for some reason she gave Sephiroth only carrots to eat…" she giggled awkwardly, smiling as she remembered the displeased expression on the General's face.

"Oho, already on first-name basis I see?" Genesis lightly teased her, still not quite believing that Helga actually liked her as well. Great, now the woman liked Angeal and her for some odd reason. Not that she wasn't likeable…he just thought she wouldn't grow warm so quickly to newbies.

"W-well, they said it was no problem calling them by their first names so…" Kylia blushed and scratched the back of her neck in embarrassment.

Genesis hummed and replied casually:" Well, of course, since you saved my precious coat you ought to be treated with some glamour." He joked, smirking.

The joke didn't sit all that well with Kylia it seemed, "Please don't misinterpret my objection Genesis, but I absolutely insist on being treated like all the other SOLDIERs, should I join. I don't want to receive special treatment for being a woman, surely you are aware of how rapidly rumors of all kinds can spread when a woman climbs up the ranks-" but Genesis cut her off.

"Nonsense!" his eyes were fire as he snapped, "Those mongrels haven't the utter bit of shame or value for their lives shall they spread such vulgar rumors about you. You may be the first female SOLDIER since a long time but that doesn't mean we Firsts will allow that treatment."

Her heart warmed at his sincere words, a gentle smile broke out on her face and Genesis felt a bit of pride for making her smile like that.

They stopped at a nice little Japanese restaurant, the minute they entered Kylia was greeted warmly and cheerfully by the staff and what appeared to be the owner of the restaurant, a beautiful, surprisingly young woman with black hair tied into a long, tight braid, her clothes consisting of that of professional cooking attire with a small chef's hat. The woman's eyes were a kind honey color, shining upon seeing Kylia as the two women embraced.

"Kylia! I haven't seen you in a while! Where have you been? Oh and…is this who I think it is?" she placed her hands on Kylia's shoulders and then looked at the tall SOLDIER standing a few steps behind her.

"Good evening, I'm Genesis as you surely know." Genesis shook the woman's hand and she smiled a bit tightly at him, her smile not quite reaching her eyes.

"Yes…I've certainly heard of you." She nodded, Genesis' brows furrowed slightly at her wording, but the woman was too focused on Kylia to pay him any further attention.

"I'm sorry for not calling or visiting any Mira, I've been pretty busy with training." A brow rose in surprise.

"Training? Oh no, don't tell me…did you join SOLDIER?" the woman named Mira looked very worried, glancing briefly at Genesis.

Kylia shook her head, "No, I didn't don't worry. I'm still being tested, the exams start tomorrow-"

Mira cut her off," I told you not join SOLDIER Kylia! I warned you! They will bring nothing but trouble! I don't want to attend your funeral when you turn 26!"

"You won't. I'll make sure of that." Genesis deep voice suddenly cut in, startling the two women slightly. Kylia glanced back at him, surprise written all over her face.

"Look, no offense, but I don't need someone from SOLDIER assuring me of my best friend's life when they would be the reason she dies young!" Mira's honey eyes turned into hard diamonds, boring into Genesis. The SOLDIER calmly looked back.

"Mira, please. There is no reason for you to be so hostile towards Genesis, I told you he was the one that saved my life in that alley." Kylia spoke softly, trying to diffuse the situation.

Mira and Genesis stared each-other down, the staff members were oddly quiet, watching the exchange with a mixture of apprehension and curiosity.

"It's your decision…but don't you dare break our promise alright? I'll force you to promise me that whenever you go on a mission, you will return _alive_ and _well_. You're allowed to have bruises but nothing that threatens your life, understood?" Mira sounded almost like a mother scolding her child, Kylia grinned brightly and hugged her.

"Don't worry about me, I promise you that." She nodded and smiled, Mira sighed heavily and shook her head.

"Anyway, what did you come here for?" she looked back and forth between the two.

"We thought to get something to eat. On take out." Kylia smiled, with a sigh, Mira disappeared into the kitchen and told them to sit down and wait.

"She cooks the food herself?" Genesis inquired after the woman that obviously bore a grudge against him disappeared into the kitchen.

"Well, not always. She cooks when there aren't that many customers, if it's overflowing then the rest helps her." She gestured toward the staff members, who sent her warm smiles which she returned tenfold.

"Um, I'm sorry about earlier Genesis, Mira really didn't mean to insult you personally. She just doesn't trust Shinra and SOLDIER very much." Genesis held up a hand and leaned back in his seat.

"No need for apologizing. I understand, you're talking to a man that hates the company he is working for." He smirked, his cocky attitude showing. Kylia smiled, sighing.

The two talked idly until their takeout was done, Mira all the while giving a annoyed, suspicious look at Genesis. Kylia shot her a disapproving look and waved at her before they said their goodbyes and exited the restaurant.

"It seems like my luck with the ladies tonight is flourishing…" Genesis joked dryly, rubbing his forehead in exasperation.

"I wouldn't worry too much about it. I think Mira would have been poisonous even to sweet Angeal if he had strolled in there…" Kylia rolled her eyes, holding her arms as Genesis and her walked through the slowly thinning streets.

"Do you mind if I show you something?" Genesis asked, his blue gaze never leaving the sky.

"Depends. Will it require me to move much?" she playfully gestured to her food, Genesis had been absently eating as they conversed.

He chuckled, "Not above walking it won't," Kylia smiled and giggled.

"Then it's alright." Genesis shook his head in amusement as he rounded a corner and led her in a darker, more abandoned part of the street.

"Why does this feel nostalgic…." Genesis almost froze, despite the playfulness in her tone, he could detect a hint of alertness.

"Don't worry, I'm above those vermins that assaulted you." His tone had unconsciously hardened, he hadn't meant to scare her or anything, his blood boiled at the mere thought of somebody from SOLDIER attempting to defile a woman.

Her voice turned soft and apologetic, "Not at all, please, that…it wasn't what I was thinking. I guess I'm not too good with making jokes am I?" she released a short, embarrassed giggle and Genesis had wanted to mentally kick himself for his comment earlier.

"Apologies…it seems as if my senses are not what they used to be. Even SOLDIERs age I suppose," he had tried to lighten the mood, thankfully it worked.

He felt more at ease at hearing her laughter, Genesis had to admit he liked hearing her laugh. Once they approached another alley, they were nearing what appeared to be a tall, abandoned building.

They threw their trash into the bin after they finished eating, "Remind me to visit that restaurant again, for her snappy attitude, she makes a decent meal…" Kylia shook her head, coughing to cover up her giggle.

She carefully inspected the abandoned building, spotting ripped, worn posters on the walls, most of which she recognized, "A theater?" she looked at Genesis for confirmation.

He nodded, "Yes, at least what remained of its former glory…" he almost lovingly caressed the buildings worn walls, a look of nostalgia in his eye.

"I gather you have visited this theater often when it had been still in use…" Kylia walked ahead of Genesis, carefully entering the theater after removing the restriction sign at the front.

"This is from the security department…the police…has a crime been committed here?" she rose an eyebrow at Genesis, who wordlessly followed her lead inside.

He paused before stepping over rubble and stray curtain pieces on the floor, "As far as I can recall, a passionate fan of "LOVELESS" has tried enacting the play after he had been devastated by the ending and creating a ending that would have satisfied his needs. He had killed two of his friends, which served to play along with him the three friends centered in "LOVELESS". I've read in the newspaper that his final words before he had been imprisoned were " _In the end, the true end, the Hero stands tall and victorious! The Hero had been a fool to put faith in the two betrayers!"_

"I assume, with "two betrayers" he meant his two friends?" Kylia chanced a guess, trying to fist for a light materia, but Genesis beat her to the punch. Channeling his powers into the orb, a soft light illuminated the theater from the inside.

"Indeed, he had. Reports said the man had been mentally unstable, though I think his obsession over "LOVELESS" has grown to the point where he would even kill his own comrades for the sake of the ending…" there was a thoughtful silence shared between the two of them.

Genesis and Kylia inspected the torn curtains, the stage with missing floorboards here and there, the theater seats, dusty and worn over the long years of neglect ion.

"It's odd…I feel oddly at peace here, in a rundown theater building…" she let out a short giggle, before looking fondly at the stage.

"Do you? I feel the same…" Genesis confessed with a small smile, his hands in his pockets.

"I've been meaning to ask you Kylia…" the woman looked at the tall man in expectation, "Kylia Coriel…your surname…it means "Legendary Gift" doesn't it?"

Kylia looked shy for a moment, her hair hiding her face from him, before she directed her gaze at the roof and confessed, " Yes…my only regret is not possessing something worthy of the name…"

"Don't say that…" he looked at her, " We all have a purpose, some search for it longer than others." Kylia didn't want to pry, seeing as Genesis' posture suggested he didn't feel too comfortable talking about this topic.

She lightly fingered the ripped curtain while standing on the stage, "I remember visiting the theater often as a child…I would watch all sorts of plays with my parents. Then, as I got older, I started going alone and watched other plays as well. In particular, I find the written scripts and dramas written by a famous poet from the west…Edward von Muir is his name I believe. "The Taming of the Storm", "Romeo and Juliet", "A Midsummer Night's Dream"…and many more…they in particular were my favorites." She smiled and looked back at Genesis

" _Love all, trust a few, do wrong to none_ …I've always tried ordering my life by those words, though at times it seems impossible. One can do wrong to another if they support the other. As is in war, if you support one side, you do wrong to the other one. A never ending blood bath ensues, the dance between life and death…separated only by a thin thread." She sighed heavily.

"Hm…I agree. If anything, SOLDIER has taught me that much. Though it seems the saying should be altered in order to fit Shinra, as in _Despise all, kill a few, do good to none._ Fitting for someone like Shinra…" a small, bitter smile crossed Genesis' face.

"You're quite frightening when you smile like that, as if you hum with excitement for your next battle." She observed him carefully and Genesis chuckled at her words, his eyes somber.

"Perhaps I do, perhaps I don't. At times I grow restless, yes, but I have Sephiroth and Angeal to quench that thirst for battle." He smirked, "A good, long spar with them subsides the beast slumbering inside of me, if only for a time. Before my blade yearns for the feel of sword against sword and blood on its silvery surface…" he noticed the look on her face and turned his head away in shame.

"Apologies…it seems as if at times I behave as a bloodthirsty beast…" his lips drew in a thin line.

"It's alright…" she offered Genesis a warm smile, "Say, have you ever heard the story of "The Taming of the Storm"?" Genesis shook his head, a calm smile now on his face, while he took a seat at the edge of the stage, watching Kylia.

"It depicts a female warrior, bound by duty to protect the divine deity of Death itself, Etro, who upon her death shall bring forth Chaos into the world, the darkness swallowing everything in its wake into its dark abyss. Her opponent, a warrior himself, who has the duty to protect an ancient Seeress named Yuel, who was cursed by Etro herself to die before her eighteenth birthday, visions of the future rapidly draining her life force away until none remained. Her guardian, the warrior, Caius Ballad, had been forced to watch her death and revival countless of times, he had been cursed to immortality by Etro, for trying to manipulate time itself to save Yuel.

Cursed with immortality, Caius' resentment only grew stronger for the Goddess and so his vendetta continued. Lighting, the Goddess' protector, had been granted immortality, since failure was not an option for the Champion of Etro. Two immortals battle, battle after battle, the outcome always the same, no party won or lost. None of them could die, their injuries would only heal and no scars would remain. In a vain attempt to flee from Etro's control, Caius escaped with Yuel to different dimensions, using the timeline to his will. Lightning had been appointed to stop and destroy him, on her journey they had crossed paths again and again.

And only on their seventh meeting, did Caius offer her something that should never have happened. He had proposed a truce, for her to walk side by side and erase the existence of Time itself in order to end Yuel's suffering. Having known the Seeress ever since she was a little girl, Lightning had reluctantly agreed. Caius had done everything in his power to break her will, but her will and fighting spirit remained, strong as the blade she wielded. With time however, Lightning formed a camaraderie with Caius and eventually, the two fell in love. It did not occur to Lightning that she, in fact, hadn't been tricked by her former enemy but rather by the Goddess she was sworn to protect. Etro had changed the timeline to cause further casualties, the more people died, the more powerful she would become." Kylia took a deep breath, a small smile on her face.

"In her realm, Valhalla, the realm of the dead, where the deceased lay to rest, their souls would directly go to her, restoring her power, making her stronger. In her greedy thirst for power, Etro has all but abandoned her duties as a Goddess, taking innocent lives before their time has come. Caius has seen through the Timeline, seen what Chaos would befall the Planet by Etro's hands. The Warrior Goddess and the Immortal One have joined forces reluctantly, remained enemies bound by fate until much, much later in their journey. And somewhere along the way, they have fallen in love."

"How did the story end?" Genesis found himself asking, intrigued by the nature of it.

A small smile away from his view played on her lips, "That remains a mystery, the final scripts were never released, an open end. Though many suspect the two died, stripping Etro of her power and appointing a new God of Death in her stead. According to some, they may even rule over Valhalla, the forgotten realm, where time doesn't exist and is of no value. Becoming the new Champions and Warrior Gods to ever walk upon the earth, dead or alive."

She looked at Genesis and smiled, "I quite like the tale to be honest. It reminds me a bit of LOVELESS as well, aside from the two protagonists, their friends also fight on their side to help fall Etro. In the end, it had been unclear if the two shall remain enemies or not. Their trust has been tested many times, sacrifices have been made, blood innocent as well as tainted has been spilled…"

Genesis smirked," Strange. It causes a strange feeling of nostalgia to well up inside of me." Kylia smiled warmly and joined Genesis on the edge of the stage, also sitting, her legs dangling down.

"Your ability to capture a listener's attention is marvelous in my opinion, you should work as a storyteller somewhere." He earned a light shove for that, accompanied with a giggle.

"Funny. I was thinking the exact same thing about you." She grinned when Genesis shot her a dark, playful look, bumping shoulders with her, a deep chuckle escaping him.

They both looked up at the broken roof, watching how dark it was already outside. And tomorrow were the exams…

"We should better get going, "Genesis stood up and dusted himself off, offering Kylia a hand up as well, "After all, don't you have a exam to excel at tomorrow?" his grin was teasing.

Kylia rolled her eyes and took the hand offered to her, slightly surprised at the strength Genesis used to pull her up. She nearly collided into his chest, if it weren't for hands steadying her and him hastily stepping back.

"Ah, sorry, seems like at times I forget my own strength." Genesis' smile was sheepish, a hand scratching the back of his head. Kylia didn't seem to mind though, she was thankful for the darkness however, covering her blush from his view.

What she didn't notice was due to the mako in his body, Genesis had enhanced eye sight, he could easily see at night. Easier than normal people. He smirked when he saw her blush.

"Let's get going then, my lady." Genesis let Kylia walk ahead, before he followed her, coming to walk side by side with her to HQ, a comfortable silence between them.

As they were nearing the tall, imposing building, Kylia said:" Genesis…thank you." The tall man turned to look at her, but she just smiled at him.

"I should thank you for distracting me from my thoughts,"

"It seems like we both have something to be grateful over. You are not the only one who needed a distraction from their thoughts." Genesis rose an eyebrow

"What do you-"

"Looks like my way home is here," Genesis saw that Mira and some of what he assumed her staff was waiting for Kylia ahead, Mira's face was set into a scowl upon seeing Genesis still with her.

Genesis returned the scowl, "I see. I will see you tomorrow then. I do hope you prepared yourself." He sent her a calm smirk, though it lacked some of its usual cockiness.

"I hope so too," she sent him another smile, before joining her group of friends and waving at him one last time, Genesis waved back briefly, standing in front of the entrance to Shinra a moment longer, before he entered the building at last.

Anticipation was building in his stomach, his fiery temper rising.

He had all good reason to be fired up for tomorrow, he only could hope they would pose formidable fighters if nothing else.

With those thoughts the darkness of the lobby swallowed him, his signature red coat disappearing from sight.

As did two sets of curious blue eyes.

 **I hope everyone enjoyed this chapter! Thanks everyone for reading! :D NOTE: Mentioning of FF13-2 (characters like: The Goddess Etro, Lightning, Caius Ballad...etc.) and Edward Chris von Muir (as opposed to William Shakespeare) FF4!**


	6. A Test of Will

**A/N:** Ah, hello dear readers! It's been...a very, very long time! (embarrassed smile) I'm very sorry for the delay! I've been very preoccupied with my other stories and RL but mostly due to writers block, I couldn't come up with anything to continue this story but I think I found my inspiration again! :)

 **Yosh! Let's read shall we? ;)**

* * *

 **Chapter 6: A Test of Will**

Stretching her limbs, Kylia checked her gear for the third time, making sure the leather holsters were all secure and the Shinra armor covering her stomach was firm and not loose.

She checked her boots too, doubled checked the zipper and she made sure her mind was clear and as calm as it could possibly be to face her fears.

"I don't think you have to be so worried, you know?" her eyes widened and she turned around to see who spoke.

It was Zack. Smiling at seeing a familiar face, she waved, "Ah, hey there Zack," he smiled and waved back moving to stand in front of her, "How comes you're here?" she tilted her head to the side, perplexed.

Zack crossed his arms and shrugged, "Angeal told me to check on the trainees, see if everyone is present and ready for the exams today." He eyed her tense stance, "Well?" he gave her a meaningful look and a kind, understanding smile.

She scratched at her neck, "Uh, I guess," she swallowed, "I'm a bit nervous, you know with so many SOLDIERs watching and all," her eyebrows scrunched together in thought, "I think director Lazard will be there too,"

Zack nodded, "Probably. I hear he keeps track of the new recruits to assign them on missions for when the exams are over."

Kylia sighed, "So, in other words if I make it there will be more work in store for me?" she quirked a small, playful smile and Zack laughed, moving to rest a reassuring hand on her shoulder.

"Yeah, you can say that, but I wouldn't worry, you know? Lazard's alright, as long as you fulfill your missions and report as soon as you can after. He only gets picky when you're running late or don't hand in a mission report, First Class or not," he shrugged, a sheepish grin on his face.

Kylia smirked, "Speaking from experience?" she laughed at the look on his face.

Zack made a placating motion with his hands, "Not so loud, he may be around here somewhere," Zack turned his head, looking behind himself to make sure they were still alone.

Kylia shook her head and nodded, "Alright...I think I'm ready," she took a deep breath and Zack gave her a thumbs up.

"I like you and I would hate to see you go. Besides, I think we need more girls here anyhow it's sometimes tough being around temperamental guys all the time," he chuckled, winking at her.

"You don't mean a certain red headed First Class, do you?" she rose an eyebrow and Zack smirked.

"Well, I-"

"Zack, are you done?" the Second jumped in fright, caught red handed by none other than Angeal himself.

"A-Angeal! I was just-" the First Class sighed, shaking his head at his student.

"I told you to check on all of the trainees, go and double check again," Zack hung his head at the order and sluggishly walked past the taller male, sighing heavily.

"Yes, sir..." he muttered under his breath, sending a secretive smile of encouragement behind Angeal's back at Kylia, who only smiled in return.

"Ahem," at Angeal's voice, she straightened, "I assume you're prepared for the trial?"

"Yes, sir!" she saluted, turning serious immediately.

While she didn't know Angeal personally, she had a feeling he was a strict teacher and allowed for no funny business while on duty.

Angeal's expression softened and he smiled, "Good," Kylia allowed a small smile before turning serious again, "Come, the exam is about to start," he motioned for her to follow him and she did so without question.

Walking a little behind Angeal, the First Class SOLDIER decided to speak first, "Genesis returned home rather late yesterday,"

Kylia chose not to answer.

"He didn't smell of ale at all and still had his wits about him when we met him by his dorm," Angeal's voice took a playful tilt, "However, he did seem a bit... _flustered_ ,"

Nearly choking on her own spit, Kylia suppressed the strong urge to cough, instead pounding her fist against her chest until the feeling vanished, oblivious at Angeal's smirk.

"I take it you have no knowledge of it?" her answer was immediate and maybe a bit too fast.

"No, sir!" Angeal chuckled, amused by the situation and his friends temperament the night before.

 _Flashback_

 _"_ _Ah, Genesis!" the First Class SOLDIER stopped just short of opening his door, turning to look at his two approaching friends._

 _He rose an eyebrow suspiciously, "What are you guys doing out here?"_

 _Angeal smiled, "We were just out on a stroll and ended our sparring match earlier," the amusement in his eyes reached his smile quite clearly, "I take it you were already in the bar?"_

 _The lie came easily out of his mouth, "Yeah,"_

 _Sephiroth smirked, "How odd...you don't seem to smell of your usual order," Genesis shot his friend a half hearted glare._

 _"_ _So what? Tomorrow are the exams and it'd be bad if I show up with a hangover now wouldn't it?" he smirked, keeping his cool._

 _Angeal prodded further, "I suppose..." he shared a look with Sephiroth, "We've seen the trainee just at the doors now. We thought she might have forgotten something but she was gone before we could ask her. Do you have any knowledge of this?" he rose an eyebrow._

 _Genesis made sure to show no outward reaction, "No," he turned his back to them, hand on the doorknob, "And frankly, I don't care. She's just some woman," he waved his hand nonchalantly and Sephiroth chuckled._

 _"_ _A woman that earned Helga's favor," Genesis groaned at that, rolling his eyes at his friend's comment._

 _"_ _You're not in her good books too, so shut up," Genesis' growl lacked any real bite as Angeal and Sephiroth chuckled at their friend._

 _"_ _Calm down Genesis, we were only joking around. We won't judge if you did spend the day with her," Angeal crossed his arms, the amused smile softened more to a understanding one as he gazed at his temperamental friend._

 _Genesis remained silent for several seconds before speaking in a calmer mood, "And what if I did?" he rose an eyebrow._

 _Sephiroth crossed his arms as well, "Then we won't tell," he nodded._

 _Genesis looked at them for confirmation, "You won't mention this?"_

 _Angeal rose an eyebrow, feigning innocence, "Mention what?" he grinned easily._

 _Genesis shook his head, chuckling, "Good night," he nodded and his fellow Firsts nodded back._

 _"_ _Night," the three friends said their goodbyes as they returned to their respective dorms._

 _None the wiser._

 _Flashback End_

Angeal chuckled at Kylia's best attempts to stay focused, he noticed the way she discreetly brushed her hands against the material of her pants to wipe the sweat off them and the way her eyes moved over the crowd of SOLDIERs that had gathered to watch the exam like a spectacle before quickly moving to Lazard and her energy deflated at once.

Angeal rested a calming hand on her back, "Good luck," he nodded, giving her a gentle push forward toward where the other trainees were lined up.

She nodded, squaring her shoulders and taking one last deep breath before confidently walking forward and coming to a stop next to a tall, brown haired man.

The trainee chanced her a look, before looking at the other trainees. He leaned down slightly to whisper close to her, "Hey,"

Kylia perked up, discreetly looking up at him, "What?"

"Are you scared?" his question seemed pointless, considering where they were and for what they were being tested today, but reasonable all the same.

She nodded her head subtly, to which he prodded quietly, "Then why are you here if you're scared?" he rose an eyebrow, but she sensed no ill intent from him.

She shot his own question back at him, "Aren't you scared too?" her eyes trailed over the staff and the sitting SOLDIERs, "They're all watching us and sitting here to test our mettle." She turned her head to look up at him, "Everyone here is scared, of that I'm sure, but I still won't back down from this even if I'm shaking in my boots," she returned to look forward again professionally, not sparing him a second glance.

The young man beside her seemed stunned for a moment, before he shook his head and smiled, "Heh... gotta admit, for being the first girl applying to SOLDIER, you've got guts," he gave her a friendly smile and she offered a small smile back in response, finding him to not be mocking her at all.

"Cadets!" the authoritative voice of the appointed instructor dressed in SOLDIER garb boomed in the room, "I hereby welcome you to the official physical part of your exam!" he gazed at them each evenly, before continuing, "As you may have heard, SOLDIERs, no matter of what rank, must endure a number of hardships and unexpected trials on missions. The exams are based according to that so expect to be reaching your limit by the end of the first day," his lips turned into a thin line then, "It must seem like Third Class SOLDIERs complete more missions than the higher classes, but I assure you that once you reach Second or maybe even First Class, your days spent doing easy tasks are well over." The instructor's gaze hardened as did his voice, "I'm counting on you for today cadets! Don't disappoint!"

Almost in chorus, the trainees all shouted out, "Yes, sir!" the instructor nodded, offering them all a small smile and a nod before allowing for Lazard to take the lead.

The man was dressed in an elegant suit and his voice sounded just as rich as the suit looked, "Welcome, cadets. As you've heard, today marks the start of your tiring evaluation process into SOLDIER," he shared a look with someone from the crowd Kylia couldn't pinpoint before continuing, "Unlike last year, we've decided to change your instructors and allow our fellow Firsts to lead the exams based on Speed and Agility, Strength and Strategic Thinking for the physical part of the exam," he smiled, "First Class SOLDIERs, if you please," he gestured for the trio to step forward.

Kylia didn't even notice when they had moved from their seats, much less when they started walking forward. And suddenly, faced with these three powerful men, she felt little more than prey facing her hunter.

She fought down the feeling of nervousness to cloud her mind and instead focused on a point at one of their boots, intent on remaining calm.

Angeal spoke first, his tone calm and his face, although stern, seemed friendly, "Welcome, cadets. My name is Angeal Hewley and I will be your instructor for the "Strategic Thinking" part of your exam," he smiled, "I wish you the best of luck,"

Kylia kept a composed expression when Sephiroth stepped up next, "I'll be your instructor for 'Strength' where we will be testing your physical and mental strength in combat as well as outside of it. Training with me is not to be taken lightly, I expect for you to be focused during training sessions and hand in your report after each one," he nodded at all of them and stepped back.

Now at Genesis, Kylia felt her eyes drawn near to instinctively toward his red hair

The man looked as casual as his semi-bored expression indicated but there was something cutting about his gaze, "Let's skip the pleasantries, shall we? I'll be the one testing your Speed & Agility, so you better be prepared cadets." He looked at each one and briefly a smirk curled his lips when his eyes rested on her, "I don't accept any excuses on missing out during my tests, unlike my other fellow teachers, I won't hesitate to disqualify you if I see you don't have the will to fight any longer, understand?" he saw most of the cadets nod, some nervously, others just barely and some in annoyance, "Balance can be achieved even in the midst of battle, speed, aside from strength and skill, plays an important part in swordplay as well and it can save your life," he looked at each of them again, this time for a fraction of a second longer, before he waved a hand dismissively, "On to your first trial, cadets. Do not disappoint," he smirked and with that, Sephiroth and Genesis left the stage for Angeal.

 _Do not disappoint._

Kylia frowned, feeling a bit annoyed at how the phrase seemed to be spoken like a mantra here. It was already the fourth time she heard it today, she didn't think it would be the last either.

They were directed into a different direction, entering a long hallway in a straight line in pairs and Kylia found the young man that had spoken to her give her a friendly smile. She smiled back. Maybe she could make a friend here too.

They entered a different, large spacious room and she noticed Angeal was at a control panel, a small smile on his lips, "Ready to begin?"

She swallowed down the sudden lump in her throat.

Wait, weren't they supposed to be debrief or something?

And where were their practice weapons? Nobody could fight without a weapon! Why wasn't anybody talking to them?!

Shakily, she lifted a hand in the air, feeling like a small child back in school, Angeal humored her nonetheless, "Yes?"

She swallowed down the nervousness, but she knew she was stuttering, "Um, d-don't we, uh, get weapons or something?" she quickly corrected herself, "Practice weapons for the exam," she felt slightly proud for not stuttering this time.

After all, having all of these authorities here was quite intimidating, not to mention having to prove her worth to them.

Angeal directed his gaze onto the large square floor divided by a thick wall of glass beside the control panel, "No, for this round you'll be weaponless. Those that finish the challenge and pass satisfactory will gain weapons in order to complete the next phase," he nodded at them, "Now, let us begin, please gather at the center of the room,"

Her hands were sweating as she followed the others in the middle of the platform, the whole room appeared to be of some type of metal.

She heard the metal door leading to Angeal closing and she could see the man pushing some buttons on the panel, before the whole scenery dissolved into a rocky terrain.

Angeal's disembodied voice sounded loud and clear from somewhere above them as the cadets started to pace and walk around, their anxiety growing, "The first part of my exam will require you to utilize all five senses to solve the puzzle I'll provide you. Keep in mind that the setting will always adapt to real-life mission situations and anything could happen at any time. Furthermore, there will be holograms of real life figures for you to engage in combat with,"

His voice cut off and Kylia found herself asking the same question she did only minutes prior in her own mind, ' _How can we fight without weapons?!"_

But it was too late now as several figures materialized from the green, pixel-like program used in the system and she found her heart speeding up to unimaginable speeds when she recognized some of them.

There was Zack, Angeal and…

Genesis.

A cadet accidentally bumped into her from her side and she realized she had stiffened as a board, "Woah, hey, sorry." The man looked like he had went straight to SOLDIER after he finished school, looking quite young, "Uh, do you know what we have to do? We…aren't gonna fight them, right?" he pointed at the figures ahead.

She felt her throat go dry, "Um…" her intelligent answer was cut short when the Zack figure suddenly moved, the standard SOLDIER sword drawn from his back.

The hologram looked like Zack and even smile like Zack, but the sudden, powerful slam of his sword against the ground made them all jump and release surprised yelps of varying degrees of pitch and volume.

The Angeal figure moved next and started running toward a closely huddled group to her right.

When the Genesis figure drew forth its rapier and the flames licked at the steely surface of the blade, she finally allowed to speak her mind, "We're doomed,"

 **Thank you kindly for reading! :)**


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